How To Install a Windows 11 VM on a QNAP NAS

Virtualization Station adds incredible versatility to your NAS. From using your NAS as a PC by connecting a keyboard, mouse, and HDMI display to creating private virtual networks between VMs, you can also use USB and GPU* pass-through to provide your VMs and NAS with greater functionality and performance. With built-in data protection features such as Snapshots, VMs can easily be protected against failure and data loss.

Virtualization Station supports various modern and legacy operating systems, from Microsoft Windows XP to Windows Server, as well as popular UNIX-like systems such as Ubuntu, Red Hat, CentOS, FreeBSD and Sun Solaris.

A built-in Access Control List (ACL) allows you to easily manage access to specific virtual machines. You can assign either control or view-only permissions of each VM to specific users.

Virtualization Station allows you to centrally monitor and manage every VM while allocating resources such as CPU, memory, and storage capacity.

Virtualization Station allows you to access USB devices* connected to the NAS from one or many VMs. GPU pass-through is also supported** by specific models with suitable power supplies to allow the usage of a compatible graphics card to empower VMs with higher processing capabilities and OpenGL and DirectX support.

Where to buy your QNAP NAS

[vmsman]

Thanks for the info Craig. I had tried to update a Windows 10 VM in virtualization station on my TS-1277 and Windows reported that it did not meet the hardware requirements. I am downloading the Windows 11 ISO and starting from scratch as you did and I am hoping that I have better luck.

[metoo]

Try this on a 4-core QNAP NAS (which is among the more common QNAPs used at home) - Ha, ha - what a laugh 😄

[novatechseif]

I have tvs-h1288x and I try to install it same way but after choose language and time zone it mention can't install windows 11 on this pc, please how to do !

[Dannington]

Hi Craig - thanks for this. Do you think you’d be able to do a tutorial on setting up VMs with gpu passthrough? I’ve got a similar Nas to this and I always intended to set it up to run a high end VM with acceleration to use as my daily office machine.

I’d be interested in both running it from the device’s HDMI port and also over a Remote Desktop type setup. Key for me though is I want it to feel like a full blown desktop pc rather than something that would become annoying to use (when you use the v-station‘s RD it’s quite clunky and unaccelerated).

Thanks

[misc]

The UEFI firmware dont work! Even when i hit a key as soon as the message from windows shows i go see the script thingy with startup.nsh....
What can i do?

[rajeshgarg]

Hi Craig,
How to Install Windows Applications like Quick Books and other software,

[RubenCordero]

hello, great video and contribution. Do you know if Windows 11 can be installed on a tvs-672x? Are there any additional HW requirements?

[CalvinMitchell]

Any problem with keystrokes transmitting to the VM through Safari or Firefox on MacOS Monterey?

[patricklanard]

You are not showing how you prepare the Virtual folder. I have TVS-h1688X (QuTS Hero), and i followed your constructions up to choosing Windows 11 Pro, and then i get a message saying "This PC doesn't meet the minimum system requirement. Can you please help?

[rajeshgarg]

How to Use QNAP as Web Server to Host Website

[quocd]

Can you support gpu acceleration for NAS that can't insert a video card? Linux station does supporting gpu acceleration and runs smoothly but i need to run windows

[dasalazarle]

Any idea why, trying to install windows 11 on a TS-h886 is not working? I‘ve selected all possible hardware options and I always get the message that Windows 11 cannot be installed with the current hardware.

[DanielBUBU]

I use 2H22 version iso file but it said the vm doesn't match the requirements.
I guess it's because the TPM requirement, what could I do ?

[AzWineNut]

Hi Craig. I had tried to do a clean install of Windows 11 in virtualization station on my TS-473A, and Windows reported that it did not meet the hardware requirements. The only thing I can figure is this nas does not have a graphics card function, even though my main system does. Any guidance, please ?

[mseewald]

Is there any need to install additional drivers? virtio? guest tools?